1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat bench which enables a variable seat arrangement in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Variable seat concepts with a predetermined seat arrangement are known from the prior art; these allow a number of seat combinations in terms of the number of passengers or the use of the seats.
In some seat concepts, the main focus in terms of variability is that the trunk compartment conditions can be flexibly adjusted.
In other known seat concepts, the main focus is to be able to transport as many people as possible. Thus, in a known seat concept in the maximum variant there is room for up to eight passengers plus the driver in a vehicle: in each case, three passengers in the two three-seat rows of the second and third row of seats in the rear and two persons in the optional front passenger two-seat bench and the driver in a single seat. The second row of seats behind the driver or the front passenger two-seat bench or the front passenger single seat has, for example, a foldable two-seat bench with backrest adjustment plus a single seat with an “easy entry” folding mechanism for easier side entry. In comfort versions, all single and double seats can be folded down, folded flat, and removed.
In all known seat concepts, the focus is always on two viewpoints for reasons of comfort. On the one hand, it must be assured that the weight of the single and/or double seats is not too great particularly for removal and installation or for the so-called rolling up of the vehicle seat or the folding down of the backrest. In practice, even the single seats are usually so heavy that they can be removed or rolled up only by strong individuals. On the other hand, the unlocking and locking of the single and/or double seats for their removal and installation or for rolling up the vehicle seat or for folding down of the backrest must be easily achieved and actuated. The removal and installation, the rolling up of the car seat, or the folding down of the backrest should be rapidly executable, whereby the body-side connection of the single and/or double seats must be so secure, however, that they remain secure in a crash and moreover it is assured that the crash forces are safely conducted away into the body of the vehicle.
A seat unit with two or more passenger seats, which have rapid-release fastening devices, by means of which a common base device can be connected to a passenger seat or a plurality of passenger seats, is known from DE 42 39 141 A1. The passenger seats in the known approach, however, are not optimally designed in terms of their weight.